Ingredients: Blueberry, raspberry, peach, citrus vodka with a splash of triple sec and sour mix Cost: $9 It would be hard to pass up one of the delectable desserts for which XS is known, but if you're looking for a sugar rush, the Hawaiian iced tea is a good substitute. Super-sweet with a sour kick, this take on a tropical favorite could be considered too saccharine, and is recommended only in single-drink doses. Still, the complexity of the layers of fruit keeps this drink from being completely over-the-top and certainly evokes a tropical locale. The only thing missing is the umbrella. XS is at 1307 North Charles St.

Ingredients: Blueberry, raspberry, peach, citrus vodka with a splash of triple sec and sour mix Cost: $9 It would be hard to pass up one of the delectable desserts for which XS is known, but if you're looking for a sugar rush, the Hawaiian iced tea is a good substitute. Super-sweet with a sour kick, this take on a tropical favorite could be considered too saccharine, and is recommended only in single-drink doses. Still, the complexity of the layers of fruit keeps this drink from being completely over-the-top and certainly evokes a tropical locale. The only thing missing is the umbrella. XS is at 1307 North Charles St. (Sun photo by Lindsay Smith)

The waning days of summer call for languid evenings or naps in the sun; it's a time for savoring the more sensual aspects of life. But it's often difficult to escape the heat, chock-a-block traffic or the cubicle doldrums. For that, we give you refreshing spiked iced teas and lemonades you can find in Baltimore-area restaurants. Think of them as little vacations for your mind, body and taste buds.--Lindsay Smith, special to Baltimore Sun